Black kitten was thrown from moving car on Derry to Letterkenny Road

Animals In Need (AIN) volunteers dealt with a series of shocking cases regarding kittens this week, including witnessing a black kitten being thrown from a moving car on the Derry to Letterkenny Road.

Thankfully a couple driving towards Letterkenny immediately stopped their car to rescue the kitten from certain death as the AIN volunteers pulled up alongside.

The rescuers then noticed that 200m away another kitten had been thrown onto the road and was frozen to the spot in terror as cars roared past until he too was rescued.

Kitten safe after being rescued from the Polestar Roundabout in Letterkenny.

Reports then came in that a third kitten had been rescued by a man in a jeep, who had since left the scene.

Tragically a fourth kitten was not so lucky and was later found dead at the roadside.

The two rescued 5-week old kittens are now safely in AIN fostercare.

On Sunday AIN were contacted by Gardai as there was a kitten on the Polestar Roundabout in Letterkenny.

Gardai stopped the traffic to help with the rescue and the terrified tabby kitten was saved thanks to Naomi who left work to rescue him and got bitten in the process. The kitten is none the worse for his ordeal and is a friendly boy who was understandably just scared.

Earlier in the week an AIN volunteer dropped her children at school and returned to find someone had left two kittens inside the back of the AIN van.

Elderly beagle found abandoned on Muckish Mountain.

Luckily the back door was not closed properly and the kittens were found, otherwise they would not have been discovered until a vet run was due the next day.

AIN is appealing to people not to put animals' lives at risk. It isn't fair on the animals or the volunteers who have to pick up the pieces. There is no excuse for dumping defenceless baby animals, please call and ask for help.

But that wasn't the end of it. On Sunday three 8-week old black and white kittens were found dumped at the roadside in Milford. They were extremely lucky to be alive, especially with all the rally traffic that day.

Other emergency cases have been taken in, including four kittens whose mother had been killed on the road, a ginger kitten found in Letterkenny with an eye missing and four kittens discovered in a turf shed.

The dog rescuers also have their hands full.

A young, injured greyhound was rescued from the Letterkenny Pound at the weekend. The dog has a damaged leg and paw and the County Vet had been tending to him while he was in the Pound. He is now in an AIN foster home where he is receiving further veterinary care.

Misty, an elderly beagle, was found abandoned on Muckish Mountain and is also receiving veterinary treatment for mammary tumours which will have to be removed. She is a lovely natured, 10 year old dog and has settled down in her foster home.

AIN also transferred four dogs directly from the Letterkenny Pound to the Dogs Trust's Donegal Hub.

One of the four pups, Johnny, is leading the way and his fosterer can now pet him and he will give a small wag of his tail. His siblings are not as trusting and are still terrified. It is taking a lot of patience and time on the part of their fosterer but she is confident that they will come round in time.

Four Blue Tit chicks were casualties of Storm Hector

There was an unusual rescue when four Blue Tit chicks were casualties of Storm Hector. The 13 day old chicks were found by a dog walker when their nest was blown from its perch, killing their mother and two more chicks. The chicks need hourly feeding and are now in the care of a wild bird expert.

AIN currently has 103 cats and kittens in their care, with the number rising by the day. If you are looking for a feline companion, please check out AIN's Facebook page or call the cat helpline for further information.

To help AIN’s animals, please donate €2 to AIN’s ‘Help Us To Help Them’ fundraising appeal via your phone by texting the word ‘KITTEN’ to 50300. Every last cent goes directly to the rescued animals for their food, bedding, vet bills, worming treatment and vaccinations.

For further information on adoption, fostering, volunteering etc, please contact the main helpline on 087 1356188. For cat/kitten enquiries please call 087 7644420. Animals In Need Donegal is also on Facebook and has a website at http://www.animalsinneeddonegal.com.

If you have a story or want to send a photo or video to us please contact the Donegal Now editorial team. Between 9am and 5pm Monday to Sunday please call 074 9112712. Between 5pm and midnight please call or text 086 792 2103. Or you can email [email protected] at any time.

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